Harry's Love(s)
by Harry50
Summary: Harry finds his true love, after finding out his love for Ginny was potion-made. Hermione finds she was fed love potion as well. They both go to Australia to find her parents. Heavy Weasley/Dumbledore bashing. Some mature scenes. First part of two stories. Now done.
1. Chapter 1 Revelations

**A.N.** I planned this story to just be about Harry's love to Hermione, but as things tend to happen, it started turning out to be more. I then rewrote the relevant parts to make it only one love, trying not to make it too lame. So, here we are with Harry's Love. I didn't discard the other story, though.

I now have two stories with identical first six chapters. I'm going to post these six as part one of the story/ies, and then post the remaining chapters as two different stories: **Harry's Love** will stay strictly Harry/Hermione while **Harry's Love**_**s** _will diverge into Harry/Multi.

I hope you'll enjoy reading both as much as I enjoyed writing them.

**Disclaimer: **As usual – I claim no ownership of the Harry Potter world and its characters. I'm only here to play with it for my fun and yours. The rights are still belonging to J.K. Rowling and her business associates. I only own the few original characters added by me and the plot.

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**Harry's Love(s)**

**1. Revelation**

_June 1998_

Harry was sitting in the kitchen of the house at 12 Grimmauld Place, just as he had been doing for the last two days. He was thinking once again of the events that made him leave the Burrow and settle in this house which held so many memories for him. The house, now being in the process of renovation, was not yet fit for living, but Kreacher had done his best to assure Harry could stay there comfortably, at least in the master bedroom, the study, the library and the kitchen

It all started three days earlier. _Harry was waiting for Ron to vacate the bathroom, so he could go in and get ready for the night, when he heard some noise from the kitchen. "I could use some company until Ron finishes his business there," he thought._

_He walked down the steps, trying to stay quiet so that he wouldn't wake up Hermione, who had already retired to bed earlier. He was about to step into the kitchen when he suddenly heard Ginny's voice coming clearly through the kitchen's open door: "There's only one more dose of love potion left. How am I expected to keep Harry interested when you can't supply me with enough love potion? You know he wouldn't even look at me without it!"_

_Harry's first thought was that Ginny shouldn't bother, really. He liked her a lot and thought she was very pretty and attractive. He then stopped on his tracks. If she was dozing him with that potion, then these feelings may just be the effect of the potion. The more he thought about it, the less attractive Ginny looked. He still liked her looks and would have been happy to see her without any clothes on, but he no longer thought of her as his partner for life. He needed someone he could trust, not someone who would drug him for her own interests._

_He continued listening. Molly was speaking now. "You know I can't do anything when you're all in the house, as Hermione would spot it immediately and Merlin knows how she may react. The weather has been quite gloomy since the battle, as if mourning Fred along with us, keeping you all inside. Tomorrow promises to be a sunny day, if the muggle weather forecast is anything to rely on. I'll send you all out to soak some sun and then I'll be able to start brewing."_

"_Just make sure to have enough to last until we go back to school. Hermione insists on finishing her schooling and she will drag Harry along, although I'm not sure about Ron," Ginny said._

"_Oh, don't worry. I'll make enough to last you until Christmas. As for Ron – he won't let Hermione out of his sight for more than a few hours. He'll join you there, I'm sure. I'll also remind him that he needs to help you with Harry."_

_Harry didn't want to hear any more. He mounted the stairs quietly and returned to the room he was sharing with Ron, who was still in the bathroom. He wrote a quick note. "Sorry to be so brusque. I feel as if I'm interfering with your mourning, and my own nightmares are affecting others as well, so I decided to let you recuperate without my interference. Don't worry, I'll be alright. See you in a few weeks, Harry"_

_He put the note on his pillow with a mild sticking charm, waved his few belongings back into his trunk, shrunk it and put it into his pocket. He heard Ginny's door open and close and then he heard Molly's heavy trotting up to her bedroom. He waited another moment and then slipped out under the cover of his invisibility cloak. A few minutes later he was sitting in the kitchen at Grimmauld Place._

Just as he was doing now. Despite the two days he spent thinking, he still couldn't understand. He wasn't sure how long it would take for the love potion to leave his body completely and how much longer its effects would last. He missed Ginny, despite knowing he shouldn't. He also missed Ron, in a different way. While Kreacher was definitely not the same as when he first met him, the elf was not even close to the friend he had enjoyed for almost seven years.

Yet most of all he missed Hermione. They had become very close during their months of hiding, especially during the time Ron wasn't with them. She was an even closer friend than Ron, he thought, and a much more loyal one, at that. Yet he missed her differently than he missed either Ron or Ginny. He just didn't understand.

"Master must eat!" Kreacher insisted, shoving the plate under Harry's nose.

Harry had eaten very little since he came to the house, to the dismay of Kreacher. The old house elf had been worried about his young master. His master was **THE** hero of magical Britain, yet he was acting as if he lost the war, not like the one who won it almost single-handedly. Now, that he came to respect his young master, despite being a half-blood, he didn't want to lose him. Yet the young wizard wouldn't eat!

Harry was brought out of his musings by the sound of the entrance door. His hand tightened around his wand as he looked towards the entrance corridor. Logically, only Ron and Hermione would be able to come in so easily. Hermione had warded the house while they stayed in it after Bill's wedding, yet they may have breached the defenses after they stole the locket – he wasn't sure.

"Harry! Are you here?" he heard Hermione's voice. He was actually glad to hear her. Any company would have been welcome, and Hermione was more than mere company.

"I'm in the kitchen!" he called back, feeling a grin spreading on his face.

Hermione came a moment later, looking quite tired. "I was hoping to find you here, but I would have stayed here for a day or two anyhow," she said as she plopped on a chair.

"Why? Have you quarreled with Ron again?"

Hermione smiled sadly. "Well, we had several quarrels during the two days since you left. Without you calming us, each quarrel was quite memorable." She stayed silent for a moment, gathering her thoughts. "I've just found out they were using love potions on both of us."

"Both?" he gasped in surprise. "I thought it was only me, as you and Ron had something since fifth year..."

"It was all fake, caused by the potion," Hermione cut in. "I should have realized it sooner, though. I'm sorry."

"You have nothing to be sorry for," Harry tried comforting her. "The potion has some dumbing effect as well..."

He looked at her more attentively. Her eyes had dark circles around them and her face looked tired, as if she hadn't slept for quite awhile.

"Would you like something to eat or to drink? I haven't yet eaten breakfast and I'd love your company."

Hermione stifled a yawn. "I've eaten breakfast at the Burrow. I could use a cup of coffee, though.

Harry wanted to make the coffee for her, but Kreacher wouldn't let him. "Master must stay with Mistress. I'll take care of the rest!" It was clearly non negotiable.

With Hermione sitting at his side, Harry felt suddenly quite hungry. He ate his breakfast with gusto, although it was already cold. Hermione just looked at him with a kind smile on her face. Harry could tell she was just happy to see him well and free of the Weasley potions.

Hermione got her steaming cup while he was still eating. She let it cool a bit before starting to sip the bitter-sweet dark liquid.

"So, how did you find out about the potion?" she asked him, once he finished his meal.

"Ginny and Molly were in the kitchen and I thought I'll join them, as Ron was once again staying excessively long in the bathroom."

"He was probably wanking. He's no good even at that!" Hermione spat, making Harry gasp at her words.

"Well, I was still outside the kitchen when I heard Ginny urging her mother for more love potion, as she was afraid I would lose my interest in her. Molly told her she couldn't brew it while we were all in the house, but she would do it as soon as the weather permitted, sending us out. She was actually afraid mostly of you..."

"She should have been!" Hermione said heatedly. "I understand that was the last evening you stayed at the Burrow, wasn't it?"

Harry nodded. "I actually wanted to retaliate in a way, but I didn't think it was wise to act in haste. I just wrote them a note that disclosed nothing..."

"Yes, I've seen it. I knew that was not the real cause you left, and I think Ginny and Molly also thought so, but nobody suspected the real cause; certainly not I."

"Then, how did you find out?"

"Well, it wasn't too difficult once I started being suspicious. It was a fine morning and Molly urged us to go out and soak some sunshine. Ron and Ginny wanted to go flying and even managed to drag George out of his room. I didn't join them, of course. I said I would just read something, sitting in the sun."

Harry chuckled. Nothing could keep Hermione away from her books for long.

"Well, I didn't just read. I actually took from my bag one of the books we had taken from this house when we left. It was about antidotes to different potions, mainly poisons and other dark stuff, but also love potions and hate potions and the like. I didn't expect it to become so handy so soon."

She frowned a bit before continuing. "I was actually sitting near the kitchen window, only I couldn't be seen from within. I then heard Ron and Ginny return. 'Well, Mom, she isn't here now. Have you started brewing the potion?' I heard Ginny's voice."

She frowned some more. "I then heard Ron. 'I also need potion to keep the Mudblood infatuated with me, or else she'll run to Potter.' I could hardly control my temper hearing this. I was carrying my wand with me, as I've been doing since before the battle, so I used it to disillusion myself and crept nearer. Molly asked each of them for a few hairs, which she put in two clearly labeled envelopes. She then sent them out to look for me. I took advantage of the open door to sneak into the kitchen. Once Molly thought she was alone, she opened a wall panel and revealed a fully equipped potions lab. She walked in and closed the panel behind her. It looked like a part of the wall again."

"Wow! That's sneaky!" Harry commented.

"I didn't let them suspect anything. I was now looking through that book for any potion I could use to get rid of the love potion's effects and also for other stuff which would come handy. I talked with George after lunch, asking him about some of the potions he was selling in the shop. He told me about one of Fred's last inventions – a potion which acts like Veritaserum, but lasts longer and has none of the side effects. 'Just think of a party where the drinks are spiked with this. People will start saying what they really think about the others. It would be hilarious!'"

Harry wasn't so sure, and Hermione's face showed her doubts as well. "I didn't want to say anything against it. Such a party would probably become a social disaster, I believe, but I played along. I asked to see the recipe to try and make it even better. He gave it gladly, and I saw a bit of old George for a moment, before he slumped down again."

Hermione now grinned like a Slytherin. "I've studied both the book and the recipe for the rest of the day and then retired early to bed. As soon as the rest of the family was asleep, I sneaked down to that potions lab and brewed the antidote for the love potion. Molly had left her notes open at that recipe, so I could easily find the one I needed. While waiting for my potion to be ready, I found two large bottles with clear liquid in them. One had a large 'P' on it and the other a large 'G'. I spilled their contents into the kitchen sink and filled them with water instead. I also made sure that I missed none of the ingredients for the other potion, but I couldn't make it yet. It needed about four hours to prepare and it was almost morning already."

She took another sip from her cup. It was clear that she was keeping herself awake on will power only, as her eyes were drooping constantly.

"I pretended to have suffered nightmares during the night, so they didn't question my tiredness. It was a rainy day again. Ron stayed close to me and I even saw him pouring a vial into my cup. I didn't mind it, as the antidote was already removing any effect this might have had, even if it wasn't from the new bottle. Ginny was quite upset, though, not knowing when she would meet you again. I'm sure she was thinking more of the potion than of you."

Her cup was almost empty by now. Kreacher brought them both some pumpkin juice and two cans of Coke.

"I tried to rest a bit during the afternoon, just as I was doing since the battle. I also took another portion of the antidote, telling Ginny it was for the after effects of the Cruciatus I had suffered at Malfoy Manor. That night, which is actually last night, I brewed the truth potion. I've made quite a lot of it, really, and mixed about a third of it with the can of pumpkin juice in the cooler, before returning to my bed."

Harry was grinning now, starting to understand her plan.

"I was too anxious to fall asleep now, and I also wanted to be up early. I just dozed off a bit until I heard Molly rise. I soon joined her in the kitchen, offering to help her prepare breakfast and make the table. She accepted my help willingly and even praised me for being a good future housewife, as if that's something I'd ever like to be. I used this chance to spike most of the food with the truth potion. She then took a cup of tea before the rest of the family woke up, but I didn't spike it, not wanting her to get suspicious prematurely."

She could barely hold her eyes open by now, and Harry was also feeling very tired.

"As much as I'd love to hear about it, I think we both need some sleep now. What do you say about it?" Harry asked her.

"I could use some sleep..." she answered.

"Kreacher, can you set one of the rooms for Hermione?"

"No, Master. We've just removed all the beds yesterday, and most of the furniture. There's only your bed in the house."

Harry tried some quick thinking. It wasn't easy, considering how tired he was. He also didn't see as Hermione quickly dumped a small vial into his glass of pumpkin juice. Neither did Kreacher.

"I can sleep on the couch in the study," Harry told the elf. "Let Hermione use the bedroom."

"Oh, no, you don't! I won't accept sleeping in bed while you sleep on a couch. After all you've done, all you've suffered, you deserve at least a decent bed to sleep in," Hermione intervened.

"But..."

"Master and Mistress can sleep in the same bed," Kreacher commented. "It's only natural for a couple to share bed."

"We're not a couple," both said in unison.

Kreacher chuckled. "You've been a couple at least since last Christmas. I could feel my bond to both of you since then."

Both youngsters seemed stunned. Harry eventually sat down and took his glass, drinking almost half of it in one gulp.

"Are you sure?" Hermione asked the elf.

He didn't even bother to answer. He just chuckled some more.

"Well, it's not so bad, really," Harry finally said. "I've been in love with you since fifth year, and not even the love potion could completely overcome this. It was most difficult keeping it secret when we were left alone in the tent, after Ron left us,"

He suddenly realized what he was saying and he put his hand over his mouth, as if to stop his words.

Hermione smiled kindly. "I think I've been in love with you since first year, when you jumped on the troll, and I was surely in love with you when we saved Sirius in our third year. It only became deeper afterward, although the potion got in the way."

"So, you really love me?" Harry said with disbelief.

"I sure do." She took another vial out of her robe. "Drink this. It will get rid of the remnants of the love potion."

She then took Harry's glass and drank the remaining juice. "I've put some truth potion in this, to make you spill out your feelings. It's just right that I drink it as well." She now smiled at him innocently. "Would you lead me to our bed now?"

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_**Please Review!**_


	2. Chapter 2 Dinner

**Disclaimer: **As usual – I claim no ownership of the Harry Potter world and its characters. I'm only here to play with it for my fun and yours. The rights are still belonging to J.K. Rowling and her business associates. I only own the few original characters added by me and the plot.

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**2. Dinner**

Harry stirred awake, feeling well rested and refreshed, as he had not felt for more than a year. He had slept well and only had wonderful dreams, starring a bushy-haired brunette, who was currently pressed into his side. He could feel two soft mounds on his chest and a delicate hand resting on his shoulder, which was also covered by the same bushy brown hair. Harry inhaled the scent of the strawberry-vanilla mixed with old parchment that he knew so well. 'She loves me!' was all he could think at that moment.

Said brunette was also stirring awake, finding herself relaxed and happy as she had not been for many months. The sound of the heart beating under her ear was surely a cause for that happiness. "Harry," she mewed contentedly, "I think we missed lunch."

Harry couldn't say he was sorry, and he also knew for certain that she wasn't sorry either. They both needed their rest more than their meal, yet both stomachs were grumbling now.

"I believe it's already about dinner time. What would you say if I take you dine out?" Harry suggested.

"Is it a date?"

"Only if you want it to be," he answered truly.

Hermione smiled some more. "Well, I'd like a dinner date. We can then seal it with a kiss, and maybe more..."

They were still partially dressed, as none bothered to change for bed before, being too tired. Hermione blushed a bit at seeing Harry in his boxers only, while she was actually wearing only a long t-shirt and her knickers, which made her blush even more.

"You may use the bathroom. Meanwhile, I can dress in here," Harry told her.

They did as suggested. Harry noticed it was almost five in the evening, so he checked the wardrobe for something somewhat elegant. He didn't really have anything truly elegant, and he doubted Sirius's clothes would fit him. He remembered Sirius being much taller, although the few things he tried didn't seem to be too large. Yet Sirius didn't have any muggle clothes, and Harry didn't want a wizard's restaurant for their outing, fearing the attention they might get.

Hermione joined him soon. She was wearing a nice t-shirt and a pair of tight jeans, looking delightfully beautiful and innocent, like a girl her age should look.

"I could just fall in love with you again, the way you look now," Harry told her.

"Oh, we've done it more than once. Falling in love, I mean." her face reddened at the implied **other** possibility.

Harry looked at her bewildered.

"I'll tell you over dinner," she promised.

Kreacher was not happy to hear they were intending to eat out, yet he understood their wish to be a bit festive. The house was not yet able to provide the appropriate environment for the moment.

They walked out, enjoying their new-found love and the warm weather. Unlike the previous day, this one was cloudless, allowing them to dress lightly. Hermione used a nearby phone booth to check for a few restaurants and then let Harry make a reservation at an Italian restaurant near Soho. It was only a short tube ride away and neither minded the overcrowded end-of-day traffic.

A table for two, with two unlighted candles in the center, was waiting for them, separated by heavy drapes from the rest of the restaurant – the ideal setting for a first official date, as Harry described it when ordering. The waiter lighted the candles as soon as he led them to the table and gave them the menues for them to choose. Hermione chose salad for the first course and pasta Bolognaise for the main. Harry also took salad as entry, but he preferred a meaty lasagna for the main course. He also ordered some light red wine, as suggested by the waiter.

Hermione resumed her tale as soon as they were left alone.

"I sat with Molly, waiting for the others to wake up. I asked her about the future..."

"_What do you think will happen with us during the coming years?" Hermione asked._

"_I expect you and Ron to get married and have kids. Ginny will marry Harry as soon as she graduates, as she can hardly wait for that moment. I believe they would like as many children as they could have. It will take George some time to return to normal," Molly said, wiping an errant tear, "but I believe he will eventually settle with Angelina. She is visiting him daily, as you may have noticed, and they were quite close before the war."_

"_And the others?" Hermione prompted._

"_I don't know about Charlie. He attracts the ladies like the candle attracts moths, but he doesn't seem to fancy anyone in particular. He seems more interested in Dragons than in women. It's a pity... But Percy is dating Penelope again and I believe Fleur is expecting, although they said nothing to me." Molly beamed at the thought of a grandchild._

"_Then, you expect me to just be a housewife?" Hermione tried to hide her disgust at the idea._

"_Of course, dear. Being a mother and wife is occupation enough. You don't need to have a job as well. Now, with the money you've got along with the Order of Merlin decoration, you can both start your life comfortably."_

"_What do you expect Ron to do? You know he wasn't doing very well in his studies." Hermione was giving Ron more credit than he deserved. He was barely passing his exams, really, before they left school._

"_Oh, he can manage. As a pureblood he should encounter no problem in joining the ministry, and being a war hero would help as well."_

_Hermione didn't like what she heard. It was still pureblood prejudice, even if it came from a highly light witch._

_They didn't have to talk anymore. Ginny and Arthur soon joined them and George brought Ron as well, wanting him to help prepare the WWW shop for reopening. Hermione was glad to see all the current residents of the Burrow in the kitchen. _

"_Oh, I need to wash my face," Hermione said, running out of the kitchen. She did wash her face, just to get a bit fresher, and then, returning to the kitchen, she switched all the Weasley wands with fake ones, which she had created the previous day, putting their true wands in the broom closet under the stairs._

_By the time she returned to the kitchen, everybody was eating and drinking. Hermione sat at Ron's side, facing Ginny and George. She turned to Ron. "What are your plans now?"_

_She noticed that her glass was already filled with pumpkin juice and she was quite sure it was spiked with love potion. Having had enough of the antidote she wasn't really concerned. She didn't plan on drinking it anyhow, knowing she had put the very potent truth potion in it._

"_I intend to go out to the garden with you, find a secluded place and snog you," he said, not noticing the shocked faces around._

"_What if I don't agree?" she asked._

"_Oh, you'll agree, I'm sure. I've put a double dose of love potion in your juice to assure it." Even Ron started noticing that he was not speaking as expected, although he didn't understand it yet. Arthur, though, looked livid. He didn't approve of such methods and was going to react, yet Hermione beat him to that._

"_Have you been using that potion for long?" she asked sweetly._

"_Since the summer after fourth year. I had to triple the dose, as you didn't react as expected. It was really annoying."_

"_And why did you do it?"_

"_You were clearly falling for Harry, but you belong to me, just as Harry belongs to Ginny. I couldn't allow it. Even the Headmaster agreed."_

_Hermione could hardly hold her temper. "The Headmaster? You mean Dumbledore was in it?"_

"_Sure! He even tried to arrange a marriage contract for Ginny and Harry, but the Goblins wouldn't accept it. He said I should try my best to keep you two away from each other for The Greater Good. He also helped oblivate you a few times when your relations became too steamy."_

_Molly was recovering from the shock of Ron spilling all the beans. "Please, dear, don't listen to him. He's only telling part of the truth. It's more complicated than that."_

_She now noticed she was also saying things which she didn't want to say and she shut up, very confused._

"_I'm sorry, Hermione. I've never known anything about this and I should probably apologize to Harry even more," Arthur said. "I just don't know how you made them spill that truth out."_

"_I think I know," George suddenly said with a wide grin. "You've made it work even better, haven't you? It's hilarious how they spill all their secrets away. Now, what about this little angel? I'm sure she isn't as angelic as she tries to look," he turned to his sister._

"_Oh, shut up!. You all know Harry is mine! If it wasn't for this know-it-all he would have already been wrapped around my little finger. I had no choice but to ask Mom for a potion, just as she did with Dad."_

_Molly grabbed her wand and shouted "Stupefy!" pointing it at Hermione. She seemed surprised that nothing happened. George high-fived Hermione. "A prank worthy of the legendary Marauders!" he congratulated her._

"_Now, if you wanted Harry so much, have you saved yourself for him?" he asked his sister._

"_Do you think I'm a nun? He still hasn't touched me anywhere under my robes, let alone shagged me. I couldn't wait for him indefinitely! I let Dean take my virginity, or was it Seamus? I'm not sure, really. It was long ago, anyhow. I've since shagged almost every boy fourth year and up. Yes, even Draco Malfoy and his two goons. They were all very disappointing. Even the three of them together couldn't give me a single orgasm. Neville surprised me in the other direction. I had three orgasms before he even entered, and two more after. It's a pity he only likes Hanna now."_

_Ginny didn't seem to mind spilling it all out, yet her parents and Ron looked shocked. Only George chuckled. "I knew it was always the quiet ones..."_

_Hermione was not interested in Ginny's sex life. She only wanted to find the truth about her and Harry. "When did you start feeding the potion to Harry?"_

_Ginny thought for a moment before answering. "I think it was when we stayed at Sirius's house. I saw Mom spiking Dad's tea and asked her about it. She said I should do the same with Harry, if he didn't show interest in me. I then tried to help her brew it, but I was of no use. Snape was right about me not being any good at potions. Mom was sending me monthly supplies of the potion ever since, yet Harry still didn't show much interest in me. Whenever you were near him he seemed to totally forget me, although I tripled the dose."_

"_Do you really love him?"_

"_Of course I do! I've grown hearing stories of The Boy Who Lived. He then saved me from the Basilisk. How could I not love him?"_

"_Do you even know Harry, the person? He is a boy, now a man, not just a figure head."_

"_Is there any difference?" Ginny seemed truly confused._

_Hermione didn't bother answering. Her attention was now back on Ron. "You said you've found us in 'steamy' conditions. Care to elaborate?"_

"_Well, after the second task in our fourth year, everybody was sure that Fleur would practically rape Harry, seeing how she kissed him for saving her sister. When Harry didn't return to the dorms, I was sure he was snogging her somewhere. Then Ginny told me you weren't in your bed either. I alerted the Headmaster and we finally found you two in a broom closet. You were snogging senselessly. Your blouse was open and his hands were on your bra while your hand was sneaking into his trousers. I stunned you and the Headmaster oblivated you before you were taken to your beds."_

_Hermione nodded as the memory was awakened._

"_Then after the third task, Harry was in the hospital wing once again. We both visited him the next day. I lost interest soon enough, but you wanted to stay until curfew. When you didn't show back until bedtime, I had to alert the Headmaster again. As expected, you were still with Harry, wrapped in his arms, wearing nothing but your knickers. He oblivated you once again before taking you back to your dorm."_

_He seemed to be glad to tell all this. He may have thought this would humiliate her, but it actually worked the other way. Hermione was getting more confident about her feelings towards her green eyed friend._

"_You also stayed behind during many DA meetings. By then I've learned the memory charm well and I used it a few times, when I caught you kissing. I even found you once totally undressed, both of you. It wasn't very nice, really."_

_Had she considered his opinion worthwhile she would have been offended, but now she didn't even think of it._

"_It was easier once you both came to the Burrow. We made sure you both drank several doses of the potion during your first day here, and still you were more attentive to each other than to either me or Ginny. Once back at school I asked the Headmaster about it. 'No potion can overcome true love,' he told me with a sigh."_

_That was enough for Hermione. She turned her attention back to Molly now. The older witch seemed to be fighting herself, wanting to move away, yet her feet would not budge. "I've added a leg paralyzing potion in there as well," Hermione informed her. "It would keep you in your place for another hour or so, well after I'm finished with you."_

"_I'm not finished with you!" Molly growled. "I'll have the aurors hunt you for treating a respectable pureblood family like this."_

"_Who would they rather believe? A celebrated war hero or a witch who would tell them all the details about her love potion brewing? You should know that this truth potion I gave you will keep you speaking truly for a few more days, maybe longer than a week. That should be enough for the aurors, I believe."_

_Molly was steaming, but there was nothing she could do. The look on her husband's face was also discouraging. She just hoped she could control the damage. "What do you want now?" she asked venomously._

"_How long have you been brewing this potion?"_

_Molly was fighting her urge to answer and failed. "I started brewing it at the end of my sixth year, after I've been with Arthur."_

"_After?" Hermione sounded confused._

"_Well, I was quite attractive at that time. I was slim and curvy with big boobs and no inhibitions. Most boys at school already knew me very intimately. Only Arthur seemed to be immune to my charms, although other girls were telling he was an excellent lover. I finally managed to check him myself and found him not lacking in anything. It was then that I decided to make him mine, yet he wasn't interested. I knew he enjoyed being with me just as much as I enjoyed it, yet he refused any advances I made. Then I decided to try some unorthodox methods. That potion made him want me again and we soon became a couple. He used to sneak into school every weekend during my seventh year, when he had already graduated. I used these meetings to give him some more potion, to assure his love to me. I only tried to stop dosing him after Bill was born, but he soon lost any interest in me, so I had to keep brewing."_

_Arthur looked livid. Hermione just took a phial out of her robe and gave to Arthur. "This is the antidote. It works in less than ten minutes," she told him._

_She now turned to George. "Did you know any of this?"_

_George seemed bemused. He was certainly in better mood than he had been since the battle. "I had my suspicions, but I knew nothing for sure, or I would have told you, or even better – acted on it. Hell, I didn't know we had a potions lab at home. It could have been very useful when we were younger! I'm really sorry you and Harry suffered due to these so called friends of yours and I promise to help you better in the future."_

"_Does anybody else know of the potion?" she asked Molly._

"_No. Bill would have disowned me as his mother had he known anything, not to mention Fleur's reaction. She is more loyal to Harry than to any person alive. Charlie wouldn't have approved of it either, and Percy would have called the aurors immediately."_

_Hermione was content with the answer. She stood up and faced the others. "I'm going to pack now and leave. You three," she pointed at Molly, Ron and Ginny, "should better keep your distance from me and Harry if you value your lives. As for the rest, I trust Arthur to deal with you justly and fairly. George – do help him out. He will need any help you can give him."_

_She used her wand to Accio Arthur's and George's wands and then rushed up, packed everything into her trunk, shrunk it and put it into her pocket. She then stopped at the kitchen once more, giving Arthur and George the antidote for the paralyzing potion. She rushed out and apparated to Grimmauld place._

"You know the rest," she smiled at Harry. They were already finishing their deserts – Tiramisu for Hermione and a rich multi-flavoured ice-cream serving for Harry. The candles were quite low by now, two hours after they started dinner.

"So, we basically can trust the Weasleys, excluding Ron, Ginny and Molly," Harry said.

"I believe these three will not stay Weasley for much longer. From the gist of what I heard Arthur talk with George before I left, he's probably going to call for a family meeting and then denounce these three."

"You know, I'm kind of sorry for Ron and Ginny. They're not entirely guilty of what they did. It was all due to Molly and Dumbledore. He had become a control freak at his old age, believing that only he could know what's best for everyone and making sure it all went according to his twisted plans, while Molly should have known better than to use potions on her husband and now on us. Yet her children were already old enough to know right from wrong, so..."

Hermione stopped his rumbling. "They'll only get what they deserve and I trust Arthur to do the right thing. Now, I think it's about time to thank you for this wonderful dinner."

She got up from her seat and sat on Harry's lap. She turned her head towards him, took his head in her hands and kissed his lips tightly and passionately.

It was nothing like what they had experienced before. Harry had already kissed Cho and Ginny and a few other girls thanked him after the last battle by kissing him but none came close. Hermione had also been kissed by Krum and McLaggen, not so willingly, and then by Ron, yet she found this kiss beyond all comparison. It was sweet and innocent and also extremely passionate. They both opened their mouths a bit, letting the other's tongue explore their mouth. Harry felt in Heaven and Heaven for him was where Hermione was. They didn't even notice the waiter who came to collect the empty dishes and left the bill. It took them eternity, or at least ten minutes, before they came back to their senses and stopped for some air.

"Wow! I've never thought one could kiss like that," Harry noted.

"It only depends on who I kiss," she replied cheekily.

Harry initiated another kiss. When they resurfaced for air, he noticed the table with the bill. "I think we've been given a hint to leave," he said with a smile.

He left the appropriate sum of money along with a generous tip and they walked out to the cooling evening air. "What do you plan to do now?" he asked.

"You mean, after shagging you senseless?" she grinned mischievously at him.

He gulped his surprise. This was going much faster than he could ever hope, yet, according to what they had learned earlier, this was just the culmination of previous, interrupted, love sessions. "Well... of course," he managed to answer.

Her smile didn't falter. "I'm going to do it again... and again... until we fall asleep in each other's arms."

Harry was smiling as well. "That sounds like a good plan to me. Shall we take a taxi or..."

"Let's go now!" she urged him, grabbing him by his hand, walking into a nearby alley and apparating them both.

* * *

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	3. Chapter 3 Preparations

**3. Preparations**

Hermione didn't let go of Harry's hand until they were in his, now their, bedroom, where she turned and kissed him passionately once more. The kiss lasted several more minutes until they needed to break for air.

"Are you sure, Hermione?" he asked her tenderly after regaining his breath.

"As sure as I can ever be," she answered confidently. Her expression suddenly changed. "There's one thing I want you to know before we start, though."

Harry was surprised to see her suddenly hesitant.

"I don't care if I'm not your first..." he started.

"It's not that. I've never had sex with anyone, but... technically... I'm not a virgin." She said the last words very fast.

"What do you mean?" he was confused.

Hermione took his hands in hers before explaining. "It was when they first started doping us with the potion. I was sure I was going to shag Ron as soon as I get a chance, yet I knew he wasn't the most considerate person and I feared he would hurt me too much in his haste. I was sharing room with Ginny at that time, and you were still kept with the Dursleys."

She seemed to arrange her thought for a moment. "Ginny asked me what was bothering me, and as she was the only girl near my age there, I told her. 'That's no problem,' she said. 'You have a hair brush, don't you? The handle is about the same size as their penis. Just masturbate a bit, until you are wet and ready, and then push the handle in. It will break your hymen and you can still control the pace and the force. I did this soon after my twelfth birthday,' she told me."

She now blushed deeply. "I did it as soon as she left the room. Ron never really tried. Despite drugging me with the potion, he probably had no clue. Lavender tried to teach him for awhile and gave him up as a lost case." She chuckled a bit saying this.

"So, I'm still your first?"

"You will be, once we shag. Do you have any previous experience?"

"No. Ginny tried to drag me to her bed more than once, but I pretended not to get the gross hints. It just didn't seem right, despite the potion."

They didn't talk anymore. They clung to each other, starting the natural ritual that is as ancient as life itself, forgetting everything else.

It was several hours and multiple orgasms later when they were able to talk coherently again. Both were sweaty and happy. They were hugging each other, their chests touching and their legs intertwined.

"That was brilliant!" Harry exclaimed.

"I never believed sex could be so... WOW! Whenever I heard other girls talking it was more like something that the boys like very much and the girls find it nice, at best. They won't believe me if I would ever tell them how grand it is with you." She smiled coyly. "Not that I would ever tell them, as long as you keep me satisfied..."

They kissed once more before their exhaustion took over and they fell asleep.

"Master and Mistress need to wake up!"

Kreacher's voice was not welcome by Harry. He covered his head with a pillow, trying to go back to sleep.

"Really, Master! It's not becoming of Lord Potter-Black to disregard his duties," the house-elf admonished him.

"What is it, Kreacher?" Hermione's sleepy voice asked, her face still hidden by her bushy mane on Harry's shoulder.

"You have a meeting at Gringotts in less than an hour," the elf informed them.

"Gringotts?" Harry asked in alarm.

Kreacher rolled his eyes in annoyance. "Yes, Gringotts. Haven't you seen the letter they sent you yesterday afternoon?"

"We went directly to bed..." Harry mumbled half apologetically.

"Well, you need to hurry. Your clothes are on the chairs at the side of the bed, the bath is full of hot water and breakfast will be ready in twelve minutes. You should start moving now."

The new Kreacher, changed by the events of the war and the last battle was very different from his old self and from Dobby, the deceased loyal house-elf as well. While extremely loyal, he was in some ways like a parent taking care of a child. He did everything his role required but also gave advice and demanded Harry act properly, admonishing him as needed.

"We don't have time to take bath separately," Hermione decided. "We shall bath together and then get clothed and go down for breakfast."

She walked out of bed wearing only a smile, to the astonishment of Harry. This was a different Hermione, one he was eager to know closer. He soon followed her steps and stopped at the bathroom door. He just couldn't get enough of her. He admired her lithe body, her feminine curves, her beautifully round breasts, her...

"Harry, I need you to wash my back! Please hurry! You'll have time enough to gaze at me later."

He was fully awake right now, but he still felt as if he was dreaming. This was too good to be true... Yet it didn't last long. Five minutes later, Hermione dried them both with a spell. "It's quicker than using the towel," she explained. A few more minutes were spent on putting on their clothes and combing their hair (Hermione used a brush and some spells to get her hair right, while Harry just moved a comb through his hair once, knowing it was futile).

The letter from Gringotts was waiting for them on the kitchen table. Harry was quite apprehensive when he took it in his hand.

"_Dear Lord Potter,_

_Due to the changes that occurred during the last few weeks, we feel that we need your involvement at the directions your investments should take. We suggest you meet us tomorrow at ten in the morning. Your account manager as well as our advisors will be available at your service for the rest of the day as much as needed._

_This letter may be used as a portkey by tapping our emblem with your wand. You may also use our hidden entrance from muggle London. It is in the block next to the Leaky Cauldron. You'll find a blue painted door with a large 'G' on it. Push the bell button and it will open. You may also use our main entrance, of course, but due to your current position it may draw a crowd, which can be quite upsetting._

_We also regret to inform you that you were fined one hundred Galleons for breaking into a vault and damaging the Bank's property. While we are fully aware of the circumstances that made this act necessary for finishing the war we still need to show our displeasure with your act. Your accomplices were also fined fifty Galleons each._

_We consider this to be the end of this incident and hope to never have to take similar actions with you in the future._

_Please inform us until midnight if you wish to change the time for our meeting. If we don't get any such letter we will be awaiting you at ten sharp. Please be punctual._

_On behalf of Gringotts Bank,_

_Crushbone, the Potter account manager._"

He wasn't sure how he should feel about this. He silently handed the letter to Hermione.

"You must be one of their biggest clients," she noted after reading.

"Why do you say so?"

"First they call you 'Dear Lord Potter'; then they have an account manager dedicated to your businesses, probably with a few aids as well; and now they fine you a hundred Galleons for a damage that was probably close to a million, just to show their displeasure. I believe they would have put anybody else to work in the mines for the rest of his life to repay the damage."

Harry paled considerably at her words. "They could just send this to lure me to the bank..."

"Haven't you noticed the addendum?" He shook his head.

"Here it is:

_Lord Potter,_

_I know that due to the events prior to the last battle you may feel quite reluctant to come into the bank, fearing our revenge. I assure you that there's nothing for you to fear. We've spent quite some time repairing the damage and assessing the benefits gained by the fall of the Dark Lord. All in all we believe that your act raised our profits for this year considerably, so nothing more than a token penalty is in order._

_Just to assure you even more, I hereby give my magical binding oath that you will not be harmed in any way and will not be held by us against your will. You will come and go as you please and we shall continue serving you to the best of our ability._

_Respectfully yours,_

_Ragnock, _

_General Manager of Gringotts_

He used blood for the signature."

"So, you think it is safe?

"As safe as going any other place."

It was almost ten when they finished breakfast. Hermione made sure that Harry looked presentable and then they used the portkey and landed in Crushbone's office.

"Very punctual! I like it," they heard, before noticing a richly dressed goblin sitting at the large desk. Two chairs were facing the other side of his desk and several more were arranged in two rows, a short distance farther from his desk.

"Please be seated," the goblin said. "I see you've brought Lady Potter with you..."

"I'm not..." Hermione cut him out.

"Oh, sorry, It's not official yet, although we know about it for several months already."

"You do?" both teens asked.

The goblin chuckled. "It's our job to know every thing important about our big clients, and Lord Potter is our biggest."

"I am?"

"Oh, I can see this is going to be more difficult than I expected, so let me start with the basics..."

They spent most of the day in that office. Crushbone gave them a short walk-through of the Potter history and then of the Potter current holdings. They took a break for a rich lunch, which was brought in for them, courtesy of Gringotts, and then continued with a somewhat more detailed description of the major assets. It was dinner time when they finished.

"We shall have to meet another time to go over your Black holdings and the ones inherited by conquest from Riddle and Pettigrew," Crushbone informed him, looking a bit tired as well.

"Thank you, Crushbone. It was really an eye opener," Harry replied.

They let Kreacher serve them dinner, each deep in thought. Kreacher noticed their mood and wasn't offended that they didn't really pay attention to the food. He was just glad they seemed to get closer to each other.

"Have you understood how we became a couple?" Harry asked Hermione.

"He didn't really explain. He only said it appeared near Christmas and due to our status, being at the top of the 'undesirable' list, they didn't try to find out at the ministry. Maybe we should try to find out now?"

She frowned for a moment.

"What is it?" Harry asked.

"I just hoped to be able to go find my parents sooner," she sighed. "Ron didn't want me to go. He said they are happy as is, so why bother, and now I know he just didn't want me to get free of the potion. I thought I'll spend here a day or two, make the necessary arrangements, and then go to Australia, and hopefully bring them back before the next term starts. Now I don't know..."

"Why? I won't stop you. I think I'd like to join you. If nothing else – it would be a new experience for me; I mean – flying in airplanes, visiting other countries... I've never had a chance to experience any of these."

Hermione looked at him with some surprise.

"And I can also really help you, not be a nuisance like Ron. I can use the telephone, you know..."

They both chuckled. Hermione looked relieved a bit. "Well, we can discuss it tomorrow," she said. "Right now there's something much more important that I want to do."

Harry looked bewildered. He didn't remember any other plan they may have discussed.

"We need to repeat last night's shagging. I want to be sure that I can really enjoy it every time as much as I did yesterday."

Harry grinned widely as she took his hand and led him to the bedroom.

Kreacher didn't wake them the next morning, but they woke up early enough, with their limbs still entangled. They didn't have to hurry anywhere, so they spent some time making love tenderly, in contrast with the urgent and passionate love making of the previous nights.

"This was also highly enjoyable, although quite different," Hermione told him while they were washing and caressing in the large bathtub. "I believe it is good to start each day that way," she added. Harry just nodded his agreement.

During breakfast they decided to check for price and availability of plane tickets to Australia. The earliest vacancy in tourist class was three weeks away. Harry insisted on checking first class as well and bought them two tickets for the flight due in two days. His Platinum card, which he got from Gringotts, was happily accepted.

There was an owl awaiting them as they returned. "He wouldn't let me take the letter for you," Kreacher informed them. Harry recognized Pigwidgeon immediately, yet he was sure it wasn't a letter from Ron. He unfolded the parchment and read it loudly for Hermione's behalf.

"_Dear Harry and Hermione,_

_I don't know where you are, but I'm sure you are finally together, as you should have been for some time now, if my ex brother and sister would have not interfered._

_I actually want to inform you that Dad has done what was expected of him. He called us all to a family meeting and then asked each of the three to tell what he or she had done. Your enhanced truth potion still worked perfectly, making them spill some more details that we hadn't yet heard of. Molly was doping Dad since she first met him. She probably loved him then, as she couldn't have fallen for his money or his fame, but one cannot keep loving a person who's not really himself due to the potion. Dad denounced her and later handed her to the aurors._

_Ron was just talking about how much he deserved everything that you've wanted. He had never really wanted Hermione, being of muggle descent, until he noticed Harry getting interested in her as more than a friend. He then asked Molly's help and she offered the potion. Our former leader, Albus, didn't actively encourage it, but eventually helped Ron. Why? I don't know._

_Dad disowned him as well. The aurors wouldn't take him, being too young, but he might be better off if they took him. I was thinking of making him a partner in the shop before this whole mess was discovered, but that is no longer an option. Maybe Lee Jordan would find it interesting though._

_I don't think Ginny ever had a chance to be normal. Molly had poisoned her mind with all those fake 'Boy-Who-Lived' stories since she was just a baby, promising her that she would eventually marry that boy. This also seemed to be in concert with Albus. I now think he may have wanted to get hold of Potter fortunes, whatever they are, and if Harry married Ginny and died, they would have split it between them. I hope I'm wrong at this._

_Anyhow, Ginny is infatuated with the-boy-who-lived and would do anything to get her dream, yet she is realistic enough to know that until then, she should just live her life, which she interprets as shagging every available male around. Dad sent her to the mind ward at St. Mungos. I'm not sure there's much hope for her to make full recovery._

_Dad wants to make an official apology to you, Harry, feeling it is a question of house honor. Just let him know where he could meet you publicly or privately – the choice is yours._

_I wish you both luck and Harry – be nice to your lady, or I'll prank you to death. The irony would be that you're still the owner of a third of our business and you get your share of the profits regularly._

_So, good luck, partner._

_I wish you both a very joyful life,_

_George._"

He lifted his eyes to Hermione. "What would you suggest?"

"I think we should go to the ministry and check why we're treated as a couple, then we can also pay Arthur a visit, before going shopping."

"Shopping?"

"You have practically no muggle clothes and I'm not in a much better situation. We need at least two sets of clothing for the trip. We shall need some more once we reach Australia, I believe, as the weather there is quite different."

Harry just nodded.

Soon after thanking Kreacher for lunch, they apparated into the Ministry. Harry was wearing a hat that hid his hair and his scar while Hermione just tied her hair in a tight bun. It wasn't a real disguise but it prevented immediate recognition.

They had no problem finding the Marriage Registration Office, but were disappointed to find that except for being registered as a married couple, there was no additional information.

"You may have said something that was interpreted as marriage vows, even if that wasn't what you openly meant," the clerk told them. "Do you remember what you were doing at the time?" She checked the registry once more. "It was Christmas eve, a few minutes after five."

"We were visiting Godric Hollow, disguised as an old couple," Harry told her.

"And you were referring to each other as...?"

"By name. We only joked we were husband and wife before we apparated there."

"What were you thinking at the time?"

Hermione blushed. "I thought I would have liked to really be his wife."

"And you?" the question was shot at Harry.

"I've never really thought of anybody else but her as my future wife."

"There you go!" the clerk told them as if she resolved a mystery. "Your magic and your hearts wanted this union and then you said a few words and it was done!"

Hermione smiled now. "Well, my husband, it looks like you're stuck with me."

"Just as you are stuck with me, and I wouldn't want it any other way!" he said heatedly.

Hand in hand they went to Arthur's office after thanking the Marriage clerk.

They saw Arthur sitting at his desk, his head bowed low and his body showing sadness and depression. He seemed to be reading something, but in reality he was just thinking of what had befallen his family. Why did Molly have to use that potion on others? He could live his life happily, oblivious to the fact that his affection was caused by a potion, and then she had to use it on Harry and Hermione, whom everybody could see they belonged with each other. She let Ron grow up an idiot with no iota of self restraint and let Ginny become a slut, just like her, according to her own admission. He was glad that his elder children understood him, at least. He loved them with all of his heart and appreciated their maturity. He wondered how such fine boys managed to come out of such a mother as theirs.

Harry coughed, bringing Arthur's attention back to reality. He turned his head towards the door and was surprised to see the couple. "Lord Potter, I'm honored to have you here..."

Whatever he wanted to say next was cut by Harry's words. "I'm still Harry, so please – don't Lord me."

Arthur relaxed a bit. "Well, Harry, I feel I need to formally apologize to you as Lord Potter. It weighs heavily on my heart right now."

Harry waved his hand, as if urging him to continue.

Arthur stood up in a formal stance and spoke solemnly. "As Head of the House Weasley I hereby apologize to the head of House Potter for any action taken by members of my house against you and the ones you love. Those guilty of these actions have already been disowned and will be punished to the extent set by the law. As further compensation, I'd like to offer House Potter the eternal alliance of the Weasley, if your lordship would accept it."

Harry also took a formal stance, somewhat negated by his casual clothing. "I, Harry James Potter, Head of the Noble House of Potter, hereby accept the apology of House Weasley and consider the events leading to this apology as fully repaid for. I also accept the alliance of the two houses as an act of friendship and mutual respect."

He extended his hand to Arthur who shook it willingly, causing a brief flash of light to appear, sealing the alliance.

"Now, Arthur, I want to offer you a job. I believe it will earn you more money than your current job and I'm sure you'll enjoy it much better."

Arthur looked a bit puzzled, but said nothing.

"I'd like you to be my representative at the Wizengamot. As I have two seats but only one bottom, I need somebody else to occupy the other seat for me and to further my ideas; someone I can trust."

Mr. Weasley seemed overwhelmed by the idea. "I'm not sure I'm the right choice. I've never been very influential and nobody cared about my opinions."

"With Potter name backing your words, people will listen very attentively, I'm sure."

"Then, I accept your offer and I would feel honored to do my best at representing you."

Harry took an empty parchment from the desk and wrote down the official letter, assigning Arthur his vote. "I'm going to help Hermione find her parents and I still need to finish my schooling. I'll need another representative as well. Can you recommend anybody?"

"Mr. Diggory has always supported our cause and is very well connected. I believe he could do this job well. You may also consider my son Percy. He's no longer the insufferable stuck-up snob and he has a very good knowledge of the ministry. He's also closer to your age," Arthur suggested.

"Talk with both of them on my behalf and see who would be more appropriate. I'll trust your judgment."

They left a very happy Arthur at his office, packing his stuff and preparing his resignation.

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	4. Chapter 4 Away

**A.N. **I've mad a mionor update to this chapter after a reviewer pointed tosome problems. I hope you like it.

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**4. Away**

Shopping was not something Harry was experienced at, yet he had heard quite a few horror stories about what going shopping with girls or women was like, so he didn't look forward to that.

Once they left the ministry, Hermione led them to Harrods. Harry had never visited the famous store. He was delighted to see the elegance of the shop and the uniforms of its employees. Hermione wasn't impressed, though.

"We have a lot to buy and they close in about two hours. We need to hurry!" she informed him.

Harry cooperated and was pleasantly surprised by Hermione's efficiency at shopping. She first took him to the men underwear department, where she made him buy several sets of underwear of highest quality, two swimsuits and two pairs of sexy male knickers.

"What do I need these for?" he asked.

Hermione just rolled her eyes. "Men!"

She then went to the women underwear, where she bought a few comfortable bras and several sets of knickers some of which contained very little cloth. Just thinking of her wearing these made Harry blush.

Women wear was next. Hermione selected three pairs of comfortable trousers, a pair of tight, but not too tight, jeans and some t-shirts, She then added two dresses – one summer dress and another suitable for the evenings. She topped it all by selecting a business suit.

Harry wondered about it, but stayed silent, noticing how anxious she looked to get over with their shopping.

They then chose a similar wardrobe for Harry: Some slacks, jeans, t-shirts and a few button-up shirts. Hermione insisted that he buy a business suit as well with several ties in assorted colors.

Footwear came next, where each selected one pair of elegant shoes to go with the business suit or the evening attire and two pairs of walking shoes selected for comfort, with several sets of socks.

"We still have time to buy you a watch," Hermione told him, dragging him to the jewelry department. Harry didn't mind. The old watch that he had was one of Dudley's discards and it stopped working after the dive in the lake during the second task in fourth year. He never got another one.

"Which is your most expensive line of men watches?" Hermione asked the sales person.

Harry was surprised hearing her question. "I don't really need an expensive watch," he whispered in her ear.

"Once you decided to go first class, you have no choice," Hermione explained in a hush.

The sales woman showed them several watches, all seemed quite solid and well made. Harry liked one which was more "sporty".

"How much is it?" Hermione asked.

"Only £1099," was the answer.

"Isn't it a bit cheap?"

"No. We only have three models which are priced higher, and they are more suitable for older men. They would seem out of place on your boyfriend."

"He's my husband," Hermione corrected her nonchalantly, noticing the furtive glance at her ring finger, which was bare.

Harry also noted the glance. While he still had to come to terms with being a married man, he knew that he wanted Hermione to be happy. He was still alarmed at the price of what he considered just a simple watch, but knew better than to say anything. He just dragged her to the other side of that department, where he saw some rings.

"Which one would you like?" he asked her.

She glanced over the display, noticing a few simple looking rings. "This one would do," she pointed at a ring made of gold with silver decorations, "but I think there are more appropriate rings in your vault. We have to visit the bank tomorrow, so we can check then."

Harry bought her the ring nevertheless, He also insisted on buying her a watch as well. She chose one in the same style as his, which was a few pounds cheaper.

They left the store only five minutes before its closing time, each carrying so many packets that they could hardly see their way. Harry found it annoying. He stepped into a side alley and shrank all the packages to about a tenth of their size. It was still a large pile, though. He then called Kreacher. The elf was delighted to take the whole pile home, letting them enjoy their evening.

Hermione knew London well. She took him on a short tour of the main attractions: the parliament house with the Big Ben, the London Eye, Piccadilly circus and some more. Harry had only seen most of these places in photos and was quite glad to be able to visit them. What he liked best, though, was walking hand in hand with Hermione, trying to get accustomed to the idea that they were actually married.

"You know, it seems like my parents were the first we visited after we were magically wed," he told her. "It somehow seems right."

"Yes, it does," she said, walking closer and leaning her head on his shoulder.

They walked like that a few more minutes, just enjoying being peacefully together, when Hermione snapped her head. "Harry, you still owe me some courting and a proper wedding and a honeymoon. Don't you dare skip any of these!"

He would have been frightened if her words were not accompanied by a warm smile and a hug.

"Well, dear, where would you like dinner?" he asked her in an amused tone.

She pretended to think hard. "I believe we could do with dinner prepared by Kreacher. He's so glad when we let him show his culinary talents. Besides, I can't wait for the activity after dinner."

With that said, they apparated home.

Dinner was waiting for them, and Kreacher even set the dining room like a romantic restaurant, with some drapes enclosing a table for two, lighted by the candles. He had also outdone himself with the cooking, giving the young couple a memorable meal.

"How did you know we were coming for dinner?" Hermione asked him.

"It's a house-elf's duty to know what his master and mistress want. Our bond lets us feel when and how we are needed."

"Yet you did nothing for us while we were on the run," she noted.

His face turned sad. "I could do nothing unless you called me. I could stay here and tend the house or help at Hogwarts. I had no other instructions and none of you gave me new instructions."

"We didn't know," she said, "but now, that we know, I instruct you to inform us whenever you feel there's something you should do that we aren't aware of."

"Very well, mistress. That should take care of such events. Will you be needing me in Australia?"

Hermione was surprised by the question, yet the answer was clear. "We shall stay in muggle environment there. You won't fit in and may even cause problems with the statute of secrecy. Would you even be able to come if we call you?"

He seemed almost offended. "Of course I can come! No place on earth is too distant for a house-elf to reach his master!"

Harry was looking at the shopping bills. He now noticed that everything they bought seemed to be about ten times the prices he had seen his aunt pay for similar items. While he wasn't bothered by the expense, knowing he could well afford it, he was intrigued by the price gap.

"Why was everything we bought so expensive?" he asked.

"We only bought prestigious brand names. You can't fly first class and wear clothes bought at the market. Then there's your status as well. Lord Potter-Black should dress like a lord, even when in muggle environment."

"But I don't even need half of what we bought!" he protested.

"You soon will," she said cryptically. "Now – we need to go to bed." She took his hand, ready to lead him upstairs. She only turned back for a moment. "Kreacher, will you be so kind to wake us at eight o'clock? We're going to have quite a busy day tomorrow as well."

They Floo'ed to The Leaky Cauldron immediately after breakfast. Tom was already behind the counter and greeted them with warm smiles, "Mr. Potter, Miss Granger, it's nice to see you again."

"Nice to see you too, Tom. How is business?" Harry replied politely as Hermione just nodded.

"Much better, thank you, since you rid us of that madman. Can I serve you something?"

"Maybe later, Tom. We have a lot to do today and not enough time," Hermione replied.

If Tom was surprised at seeing them holding hands and acting like a couple, he didn't show it. "You're both welcome here whenever you come," he assured them.

They left through the door to muggle London and used the secret door to Gringotts. It opened into a long corridor that ended in a small waiting room, where a young goblin was already waiting for them. Harry let Hermione lead.

"I need to check the transactions in the Wilkins account in your muggle subsidiary," she told the goblin.

He led them through another long corridor into what looked like a normal muggle bank, where the tellers looked human. It was quite clear to both teens that these were goblins with glamor charms, just as their companion used to mask himself. He led them to one of the offices at the back. "Miss Granger," he announced for the benefit of its occupant, as he led them in and closed the door.

The manager in the office seemed delighted to see her. "Welcome back Miss Granger, or should I say Lady Potter?"

"Miss Granger is fine for now, and I'm very glad to be here as well. I need to find my parents, now that the war is over, and I hope you can help me."

The goblin looked at her questioningly. "I thought you would come here a few weeks earlier," he commented, not really expecting an explanation.

"There were some unexpected delays," she said, not wanting to go into details.

The goblin turned to his desk, where a keyboard, a mouse and a computer display were residing. "I can give you a record of all their cash withdrawals and their credit-card expenses. At your request, we have also put tracking charms on their cards, and we can give you a report of their whereabouts, updated to last night."

"I'd like all of these, keyed to me and my husband only, if you don't mind."

"Not at all. We're here to serve our customers," the goblin replied. He clicked a few commands on his keyboard and soon enough one could hear the printer, hidden under the desk, going into action. A moment later he was handing several printed pages to Hermione.

"Do you need anything else?"

"Can we have a money-bag? I've heard these are very useful," Harry said, "and I don't like going into the main branch for that."

"Of course, Lord Potter. I'll have one brought here in a moment." He lifted the normal looking telephone on his desk and spoke with someone.

Harry was quite intrigued. He could sense the magic around him, yet these muggle instruments seemed to work flawlessly. "How do you make these work in such a magical environment?" he asked, pointing at the instruments.

The goblin chuckled. "Wizards don't want to use any muggle technology, so they devise theories to justify it. Most muggle instruments would work well, unless subjected to direct magical bursts. Some of the more delicate ones can be shielded, using a simple spell, and then they will work well even within the Headmaster's office at Hogwarts."

"I'd like to learn that spell!" Hermione blurted, not even thinking.

"Of course, Milady." He punched a few more keys and handed her another printed page. "I believe this covers all that you need."

"I think we may need to visit our vault," Harry said, once they finished their business there.

"We may bring here anything you need from your vault," the goblin informed him, "as long as you can state exactly what it is."

"Well, I'm sure there are some engagement rings used by my ancestors. I'd like Hermione to see them and select one to wear until we wed officially."

"That should be no problem," the goblin said, turning back to the phone.

Ten minutes later, Hermione could look through a large drawer full of rings, most of them in pairs. She chose one looking like a bent twig, decorated by two bright emeralds, just like Harry's eyes. It had a companion of thicker build with just two green dots on top, which Harry took gladly.

Harry also found the official Potter signet ring there, which he also took. It flashed briefly when he put it on his finger and he felt it was also giving him some additional power.

They left the bank later through its muggle main door, situated conveniently on Oxford Street. The bank had also supplied them with passports, as Harry had never had one and Hermione's had already expired.

"We need to buy a few more things now. We need appropriate suitcases and handbags and I'd like you to buy a new pair of eye-glasses."

"So, back to Harrods?" he asked.

"Not necessarily. There's an optician shop just across the street and I know there are some high-class luggage shops nearby as well."

The optician was very pedantic. He used several instruments to measure Harry's sight and then made additional tests with various correction lenses. Harry would have lost his patience if it wasn't for Hermione's soothing presence and her hand, which was holding his comfortingly.

"It will take a few hours to have your glasses ready, sir. They should be here by five in the evening. Would that be alright?"

"That would be fine. I'll come take them at five, then."

He had actually ordered three pairs, as Hermione suggested. One was for general use, replacing his old worn set; another had tinted glasses to be worn outside on sunny days – Hermione was sure these would come handy in Australia. The third pair was just a spare, and yet the most elegant, reserved for special occasions and show-offs, which Hermione was sure that Harry would not be able to always dodge.

It was past lunch time when they left the optician's shop. Harry was pleased to find a nice looking restaurant nearby and invited Hermione for lunch, remembering she wanted to be courted.

"Why do we need suitcases? We can take everything in a small backpack, you know." Harry wondered.

"Flying first class with only a backpack? That would be odd. Even the most expensive suitcase we're bound to buy would cost much less than the difference between tourist class tickets and first class ones, and I don't want anybody looking at my husband as a freak."

"Oh, right..." he said. Suddenly their shopping started making sense. Money was of no concern to him now, and he really didn't care for brand names, yet his new position made people expect certain standards from him, and Hermione was the last to let him dismiss his obligations.

"Just think what impression it would make on your cousin, if he happens to see you wearing those expensive brand names," Hermione added with a smile.

Harry also smiled at the mental image of Dudley looking at him with open mouth.

Buying suitcases was easy. Hermione chose the most expensive kind of wheeled ones. "These are ten times stronger than normal suitcases and only weigh about half as much. That comes at a cost, of course..." the shopkeeper explained. They chose two medium sized cases. One was dark gray and the other was a bit pinkish.

"We also have assorted handbags to go with them," the shopkeeper offered. "We have one suitable for carrying a laptop computer, it has a wide, well padded shoulder strap that would make it easy to carry. We also have a photographer bag of similar design for your cameras and lenses with a few packs of film. We also offer ladies' bags of different sizes to go with the suitcases."

Hermione bought a small handbag for herself and a small photographer's case for Harry. He didn't know how to use a computer yet, but taking some photos during their trip could be fun.

They still had time until they returned to the optician. A side alley gave them the shelter to shrink their shopping and put it in Hermione's bag. With nothing burdening them, Hermione decided to just have some fun. She dragged Harry to Hemelys store, where Harry was stunned by the sheer number of toys, games and fun stuff – for children of all ages. "I'm was sure I could spend there more than a week and never get bored," he told Hermione, yet three hours later he was back at the optician.

"I'd like you to try your new glasses on, to make sure everything is fine," the man told him.

Harry took off his old glasses and put on his new set. He felt like he had never seen clearly before. He could now discern every hair on Hermione's head; he could read the numbers on the bus-stops across the road and he could fully enjoy Hermione's beauty. He kissed her passionately, thanking her for the wonderful gift of clear sight she had given him.

Once again they ate dinner at home. Kreacher seemed somewhat sad that he would be soon left alone again. Hermione thought of something to make him still feel needed.

"Kreacher, do you know where my parents' house is?" she asked the old house-elf.

"Yes mistress. It all comes through my bond to my masters," he answered.

"Well, they have not lived in that house for almost a year and nobody has taken care of it for them. The garden is probably in worse state, having either overgrown in places or become dry at others. They won't like finding it in such state. Can you take care of the house and the garden for me? It may take a few weeks until we find them and bring them back, so you don't need to hurry."

Kreacher looked as if she had given him a large present. "Of course, mistress. Kreacher would take care of the house and the garden. Your parents will love to come back there."

"Just make sure nobody sees you. Make it look as if a gardener was working there. It is a muggle neighborhood, after all."

Hermione helped Harry pack for the voyage. She then made their suitcases light enough to not burden them and still heavy enough to not raise suspicion. With that done, she urged Harry to bed. "We need a good night's sleep before we go and we still have a few orgasms to reach before sleeping."

They didn't need to hurry in the morning. They spent some time making love in the large bathtub before dressing and going down for breakfast. Once ready, they walked a short distance to the underground station and reached Heathrow with time to spare.

Harry was fascinated by the large airport. While the technology posed no surprise for him, the sheer size did, as did the number of people present everywhere.

They went through check-in and passport control with no problem, although none of them liked the queues. With these behind them, they ate lunch at one of the food outlets and then Hermione decided to pamper Harry with some technological toys. "A top of the line shaver is a must," she said, buying one along with a few bottles of aftershave lotions of different fragrances.

She then bought two cellular phones. "Will these work in Australia as well?" she asked. Hermione wasn't sure if these could be used everywhere, as the network was not yet fully deployed even in Britain.

"I know these will work with the Australian network, but I don't know if that network can be accessed from wherever you will be," the seller replied.

She then bought a nice camera with a few rolls of film, to go into his photographer's bag and a portable CD player with some disks of music they both liked.

They skipped the computer store. Hermione wasn't sure she knew enough to use them and was sure Harry couldn't use any yet. She put it on her mental "to do" list, though. She wanted to make sure they would both master the use of computers as soon as they had some free time.

With all this shopping it was getting late. Harry didn't pay any attention to the loudspeakers, announcing the different flights, but Hermione did. "We should now go to our boarding gate. It's time to board the plane," she told him.

Harry was delighted as they approached the boarding gate. "I've never seen an airplane, except on TV," he told Hermione as his eyes shined while scanning the many airplanes he could see through the large window.

His excitement mounted as they boarded. He sat at the window, watching all that could be seen and trying to control his excitement. Hermione's hand in his helped some.

He only unglued his glance from the window well after takeoff, when the airplane reached above the clouds and all that could be seen was an endless white fluff.

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	5. Chapter 5 Landing

**A.N. **I've made some minor updates to Chapter 4 after a reviewer pointed some problems. They don't change the plot but they make the story a bit better, I hope.

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**5. Landing**

_June 19, 1998_

With the excitement of the flight subsiding, Harry was finally able to think about what they intended to do. "How are we going to find your parents?" he asked.

Hermione thought a bit before she answered. "When I sent them to Australia, I also gave them an urge to move constantly. If they didn't stay anywhere for more than a few days it would make it harder for Death-Eaters to find them. I knew this would also make it very difficult for me to find them, once I wanted to, so I asked the Goblins to put tracking charms on their credit cards, under oath to never reveal their whereabouts to anybody but me. When we visited the bank I got their most recent locations based on both their use of the cards and the tracking charms. That parchment will update itself as they move. We shall have to check it regularly once we start searching for them."

"And how shall we move around?" he asked.

"I can drive and there are many flights within the continent, if the distance gets too long. We can also use apparition in some cases, but I'd rather use only muggle transportation."

"I can't drive," he noted sadly.

"You can learn. I'm not sure, but I think I've read that the Australian law is quite lax about driving licenses. We shall be able to check it after landing."

It was getting late. They were served dinner, which Harry found quite bland, despite the seeming luxury of first class.

"Is the food always that bad during flights?" he asked Hermione.

"Mostly. It has to be prepared at least a few hours before the flight, packed and stored in refrigerators, and then re-heated before being served. Not even the best tasting food can survive this process without losing some of its taste. This is actually the best meal I've had on flight, since we're flying first class, but this is still British cooking," she explained with a smile.

"How long do we still have to stay here? It looks like eternity!" he complained.

"We're only flying less than five hours, really, and the flight takes more than twenty. You can read something or watch a film," she pointed at the folded personal display screen, "or just try to sleep. These seats can be turned into very comfortable beds, I've read."

She was right. They stretched them into their reclining position, making them almost as flat as a bed and quite comfortable as well. The stewardess brought them pillows and blankets. They removed their shoes and lay down, holding hands. They were soon asleep.

Harry woke a few hours later, when a ray of sunlight hit his face. He turned around and found Hermione's smiling eyes looking at him. "Slept well?" she asked.

"Fine. How long do we still have?"

She pointed at the screen which was unfolded in front of her. "We shall land in Singapore in about two hours, according to the flight data display. We then have a few hours to tour the city before we need to board again for the other leg of this flight."

"I thought it was a direct flight," he complained.

"No, and it was clearly stated when we booked the flight. You weren't paying attention, I believe."

"Well, finding out that I'm married to the smartest and most beautiful witch alive is a bit distracting, you know."

She hit his arm playfully. "You don't need to flatter me, you know."

"It's not flattery; it's just the truth," Harry said with a bit of indignation,

Hermione smiled warmly at him. "You are so lovely! Don't ever change!" She added a fluttering kiss as emphasis, making Harry blush.

She then turned serious again. "Anyhow, we can take a shuttle to town and visit the magical quarter and be back again before boarding time. I've heard there are some very good healers there. We may just find one to repair your eyesight and rid you of your glasses altogether."

"Couldn't we do it back home?" Harry wondered.

"Haven't you noticed that many English wizards wear glasses? That healing is either unknown or unpracticed there, but most eastern wizards never wear glasses. Only muggles use them."

"Well, fine," he said.

They were served a light breakfast on board and then buckled up for the landing. Harry was looking excitedly through the window once again after they descended below the clouds. He enjoyed seeing a foreign land for the first time in his life and was fascinated by the views. He was also surprised when looking back and seeing the wing change in preparation for the landing.

Hermione waited patiently until they landed, knowing that Harry was fully absorbed in this new experience. She was even a bit amused at this.

Like all first-class transfer travelers, they could wait in the very elegant lobby for first-class passengers, yet most preferred to visit the city, as they had almost a full day before boarding the next flight. They reached the center of town about mid-morning and used the map Hermione had taken from the tourist bureau at the airport to find their way around. Not knowing where the magical quarter was, they just strolled around, hoping to find some tell-tale sign to help them.

Harry was actually the first to spot it. "Look at that shop!" he told Hermione excitedly.

It was a chemist shop and it looked quite normal at first glance, yet a sign pasted in the window, close to the door, stated, "We also supply healing potions by prescription. Apply inside to Chu-Li."

Hermione shrugged. This was not what she was really looking for, but it was a step forward. The sign, if visible by muggles, could be interpreted as innocent advertisement for prescription-brewed medicines, yet it could also indicate magical potions. It was worth a try.

The sales person they asked showed them to a side door, leading to what looked like a chemistry lab, where a mature Chinese man, wearing white lab-robes over normal clothes, greeted them.

"Welcome Lord Potter, Miss Granger," he said, bowing slightly.

"How do you know our names?" Harry inquired, a bit alarmed.

"You two are famous all over the magical world. Anybody who keeps current with the news should be able to recognize you," he answered, "although I must admit that I never thought I would have the honor of meeting you personally. What may I do for you?"

Harry relaxed a bit and Hermione answered. "We were just looking for the magical quarter when we spotted your sign. Can you direct us there?"

"There's no magical quarter as such in this city. Magical businesses are spread throughout, mingled with non-magical ones, or just being part of them, like this place. I may help you better if you tell me what you're looking for."

"We would like to treat Harry's eyes, so he won't need to wear glasses anymore. Can you recommend a healer for that?"

"There's a good eye-clinic a few blocks down the road. It also has a magical section where some of the best healers work. Just ask for the 'M' section."

Hermione gave him her map and he marked the exact address. He then glance at Harry again. "Don't you like to remove that scar?" he asked.

"It is a curse scar that could not be removed before," Harry told him.

"Well, that may have been true, but now the curse is gone and there should be no problem in making your scar fade and become almost invisible, if you want it."

"Do you have any suggestion?" Hermione asked.

He smiled at her. "I have a special ointment that can remove scars with just a few applications. It uses some very rare ingredients, making it quite expensive. Then there are cheaper ones which can be almost as effective. They need many more applications for longer time and there may be a residual sign, but the difference, once you finish the treatment, would be hard to detect."

"Will any of them remove this scar?" Hermione lifted her sleeve to show the scar Belatrix had given her.

The man blanched at the sight. "This must have hurt terribly," he noted while his admiration for the young lady mounted higher. "I would recommend the more expensive one. It would rid you of this in only five applications, just as it would do for your friend's scar."

"We'll take it," Harry said. "How much does it cost?"

"I would have given it as a gift of appreciation for your deeds, but unfortunately, I can't afford it. I'll give you the highest discount possible though..."

Harry just waved the apology away. He paid for two tubes of ointment and got them along with the instructions for a sum which he didn't even need to think about. 'Their concept of prices is quite different than the British,' he thought.

They also signed the guest book as Harry Potter and Hermione Granger-Potter, which made the man gasp.

It only took a few more minutes to reach the eye clinic. It was divided into several sections, each concerned with different problems of the eye, except for section A and section M, which were general.

There was nobody waiting in queue at section M, yet the receptionist told them they needed an appointment and she had no vacancy for the day.

"Just tell the healer that Chu-Li sent us here and the name is Harry Potter," Hermione insisted.

The receptionist, who was clearly a muggle, didn't recognize his name, yet Chu-Li was a familiar name to her. She used the intercom to inform the healer of the unscheduled visitor. She listened to the answer and then turned back to them. "The healer will see you in about ten minutes, once he finishes with his current patient."

It took a bit longer, though, before the healer's door opened and an elderly woman came out, heavily leaning on her cane. The healer was standing at the door, keeping it open for the lady and then beckoning Harry in.

"It's a great honor to see you here, Lord and Lady Potter. How can I help you?"

They were both surprised at the greeting. "Why do you call me Lady Potter?" Hermione asked.

"Have I trespassed your privacy? If so, I'm sorry. It's just natural to assume you're a couple when one sees so well matched auras," the healer explained.

"It's not official yet, but we are married," Harry confirmed, "and my dear wife suggested we check for the possibility of correcting my eyesight and rid me of these glasses."

The healer was back into his professional mode. He checked Harry thoroughly, using both regular instruments and magical ones before feeding his finds into a computer and examining the results.

"You can have your eyes corrected. It is a costly matter, though and you would need to spend a few days here. Can you afford it?"

"Money should pose no problem, but it's just by chance that we're here, as we have a long stopover in our flight. We may have the time on our way back, though," Harry said.

"When do you plan your flight back?"

Harry looked at Hermione questioningly. "We don't know yet," she told the healer. "How can we contact you once we know our schedule?"

The man gave her his business card. "You may phone here. My secretary would answer whenever I can't get the call, and we have an answering machine for calls out of working hours, so you may leave a message. You can also fax your message in or send an e-mail, if you have internet access wherever you intend to go."

"One of these ways will do. Can you tell us some more about the treatment you propose?"

"It has a similar effect to muggle Laser surgery, although done by magic. It changes the eye cavity, the lens or both to make the patient's eye focus correctly. It also requires some additional checkups during the week after the treatment, to make sure the body responds as expected. We rarely have to do any corrections, yet quite often there is a need for potions to help the body adjust."

Hermione nodded her understanding. "You also mentioned matching auras. Can you teach me how to see them?"

The healer smiled. "I was expecting this question since I mentioned your auras. Unfortunately, this is not something one can learn. It is an ability one can acquire through experience and attentive watching, and it is an in-born ability in some rare cases. There's a spell, though, which can make auras visible for a short while and can be used by all magical folks."

"Can you teach us?" she asked eagerly, making both males smile.

"It's a simple charm, really. You say '_Revellio Aura Personale_' while drawing a circle with your wand, like this." He demonstrated, making Harry glow with a visible aura of fluctuating red and gold with some green and blue bands. Hermione couldn't see it, but the aura seemed to flare in her direction, as if attracted to her. It faded back to normal after a few seconds.

Hermione tried it immediately on herself. Her glow had more red in it and the blue bands were a bit more prominent. She now noticed that her aura flared in Harry's direction.

"There's a book about auras and their interpretation. I believe that you can still find a copy in the bookshop across the road, the one with the dragon over its door," the healer added.

They returned to the airport just in time, carrying the suggested book as well as some more souvenirs from their short visit. It was another long flight. They were served dinner shortly after take-off and then Hermione suggested they try to sleep, as landing was due early in the morning, making it difficult to rest soon after landing.

Sydney welcomed them with colder weather than they expected, yet Hermione was quick to point that "It's mid- winter here now. We should have expected it, actually. I'm sorry I just missed this fact."

It proved not to be a problem, really. The airport halls were quite comfortable and they passed passport control and customs in no time. A taxi took them to the hotel Hermione had booked in advance.

It was a small luxury hotel "fit for Lord Potter," as Hermione put it. Their room, more appropriately called their apartment, had a large living room, where ten people could sit comfortably and watch the large screen TV or listen to music on the state-of-the-art music system. It was decorated with original paintings and sculptures. It also included a small, well equipped bar and even a small kitchenette. The bedroom had one king-size bed with ample room around it. A make-up table, a dresser and a writing desk were present as well. A large bathroom, larger than the Dursley's living room, connected to the bedroom. This was Hermione's first destination.

"We need to refresh after such a long flight," she told Harry while removing her clothes and walking into the bathroom. Harry followed willingly. They soaked in the bath and let their bodies relax and get re-aquainted with each other. They didn't stay so relaxed once out of bath. Hermione wasn't patient enough for using towels. With a flick of her wand she dried them both and then dragged Harry to the bed. "Let's make love!" she demanded.

Several orgasms later, they showered together. It wasn't midday yet, so Hermione decided it was time for some additional shopping. A taxi took them to a posh shopping area, where they bought some clothes appropriate for the weather and some more traveling clothes. They also found a driving instructor there and Harry got his first driving lesson soon after.

Another taxi ride brought them near the magical quarter. Hermione made sure to get its address while in Singapore, not wanting to search blindly again. The entrance to that quarter was simply a charmed gate. It looked like a plain wall to muggles but a wide open gate to magical folks. The Gringotts branch, their first destination, looked very similar to the London main office, just on a smaller scale.

"Lord Potter, Lady Potter, we were expecting you," they were greeted as soon as they entered. The goblin who greeted them took them immediately to a side office, where the branch's manager was sitting at the desk. He rose as soon as he identified them, greeted them officially and invited them to sit. He only sat back after they were seated.

"Is there anything Gringotts can do for you?" he asked them.

"I believe we may have some messages sent to us through you," Hermione replied.

"Indeed, there are," the goblin said, reaching into his drawer and taking out two envelopes. "This one is for you, Lady Potter, and this is for the Lord." He handed them the envelopes.

Harry found a letter from Arthur in his envelope.

"_Dear Harry,_

_My resignation was accepted with no surprise, especially since the news about my ex-wife and her youngest children spread out. Everybody wished me good luck in my new job and some suggested I would now have much more influence than I could ever have in my old job._

_I contacted Amos Diggory for the position you offered, but he isn't interested right now. His family has suffered great losses during the war and he is intent on rebuilding the family before he tackles any other job._

_Percy was also reluctant at first, unsure about his ability to represent you correctly, especially since he hadn't been on best terms with you before the last battle. He then reconsidered and decided it was a way to help repair our society, the way you probably want it to be. He now needs your official letter, assigning him as your representative, just like the one you gave me. He was quite pleased to hear about the alliance between our houses and feels that the job you offered can help cement this alliance._

_The nearest Wizengamot meeting will be next week, when all members will have to swear an oath to serve the magical populace to the best of their abilities and then new members will be sworn in as well. I believe there will be quite many, as many houses had lost their heads during the last year and some of the old members were disgraced during the war and replaced by other, worthier, new members._

_It looks like the goblins have suggested to the interim minister to start using muggle technology (see, I finally mastered this word) in our society, pointing to the intensive use of it in their business. I believe you two will be very good at making this trend catch, while Percy and I may also benefit._

_George is sending his best wishes as well._

_Regards, Arthur."_

Hermione was busy with her own letter by now. Her envelope included a detailed map of Australia with explanations of how to make the tracking charms of her parents' cards show their location on the map, and how to transfer the charm to other maps as needed.

She also found a small box there with the official Lady Potter ring. _"We suggest you ask your husband for permission to wear it, yet we strongly recommend him to do so, as this ring gives its rightful wearer a boost of magical powers and very elaborate protection. We actually believe it was placed in Harry's crib during that fateful night, saving his life, as the ring returned to the vault, along with Lord Potter's ring, only the next morning, after the confirmation that both his parents were dead."_

By this time, Harry was already reading it along with her. Without a word, he took the ring and slid it on her finger. The ring flashed once before adjusting in size to the finger. It was a very elegant ring, sporting three large diamonds and one ruby, surrounded by many smaller diamonds.

"This may attract some attention," she noted.

"I believe you may both make your rings invisible. You just have to direct your thought at them and wish them either visible or invisible. It works this way with most family rings," the goblin advised.

Hermione tried it. Her ring faded from view, yet she could still feel it. She wished it visible, and it reappeared in its full glory. Harry tried with his ring, getting similar results.

"I believe we should keep these invisible until we have our official wedding," she said, Harry just nodded as both rings faded again.

"Is there any way we can keep in touch while on the road?" Harry asked.

"We have some additional branches in the largest cities, but that may not be enough, I guess" The goblin thought for a moment. "Well, I think I have what you need." He took a parchment from his drawer. It was empty, except for the Gringotts emblem at the top. He waved his hands over it, making no visible change.

"This parchment can now be used for communication. Anything you write on it will appear on its twin on my desk and vice-verse. I'll inform you of any mail you receive. You may then use this parchment as a portkey by tapping the emblem twice with your wand. It will take you here at once and will take you back to wherever you were before when used again."

Once they finished their business at the bank, they visited a wand store to buy vanishing wand holsters. These could be worn on the wrist to keep the wands handy and could be made invisible to anybody but the wearer, making them useful for carrying the wands in muggle areas.

They then toured the city a bit. Hermione already knew where the most interesting attractions were and Harry would have enjoyed the tour anyhow, just being with Hermione, free of cares. They finished their tour by having dinner near the most famous tourist attraction – the Sydney opera house and the nearby bridge.

By the time they reached their hotel they were both quite groggy, so they only had one quick shag before falling asleep.

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	6. Chapter 6 Red Rock

**6. Red Rock**

Australia is a large place. It didn't seem so large when in London, but just looking at the train timetable put things in proportion, yet Harry didn't think a train ride would help them any.

For three days they were watching the map and the tracking paper and they became quite frustrated. The Wilkins seemed to travel haphazardly, not following any particular route. They seemed to have flown from Perth to Townsville only to board another plane to Darwin and fly a day later to Alice Springs. It wasn't like her parents to act like this, Hermione thought. She had changed their memories, but not their characters, and such erratic behavior seemed very out of character with her parents. They acted like they wanted to be sure nobody was following them, yet nobody would have bothered with the Wilkins. It was very confusing.

Staying in their room most of the time had some benefits, though. They both seemed to enjoy each other most when not wearing clothes, so they decided to stay naked. Harry could not keep his hands off her in such situations and Hermione was also taking advantage of shirtless Harry. They shagged as many times as their bodies could handle and still carved for more. In-between they kept tab on the map, trying to understand where they should go next.

"It looks like they finally decided to use a car and not an airplane," Harry commented.

Hermione followed the trace starting from Alice springs and going south-west, in the rough direction of Uluru, the famous red rock.

She didn't think twice. "Let's go!" she said, starting to get dressed.

They left the hotel within an hour and boarded a flight to Alice Springs. By the time they landed, the Wilkins seemed to have stopped moving, probably booking into a motel along the road. The Potters found a nice room in a high-class hotel for the night and the next morning they were already driving in the same direction. It was late afternoon when they reached a motel with a sign "Next motel is 200 Km down the road". While it only meant less than three hours away, they were both too tired to continue.

Hermione was quite sure this was the same motel her parents had spent the previous night in, but the receptionist was unwilling to supply any information about other guests, frustrating them both.

Harry helped her out of her frustration by making love to her quite tenderly. This only helped some. Hermione was now determined to have some more. It took them two hours of intense shagging to calm down and fall asleep, both smiling contently as they hugged each other while sleeping.

Waking up in the morning, they checked the map, finding that her parents didn't move at all since arriving to their target, which wasn't really Uluru, so it seemed, but another red rock, just as impressive – Kata Tjuta [The Olgas], which was merely fifty kilometers farther.

They rechecked the map after breakfast. It still showed no movement. Hermione thought it would be safe enough to have another quick shag before going on the road. Harry agreed wholeheartedly.

It was late afternoon when they approached their destination. There were signs directing the visitors to all necessary facilities: parking, restrooms, accommodation and food. They parked the car and walked to the nearest restrooms first, before looking for a place to spend the night.

As usual, Harry was ready long before Hermione came out. He looked around, noticing an aborigine man standing nearby, scanning the people moving around, as if searching for somebody. He even made eye-contact with Harry a few times, but nothing more.

"There were ten women in the queue before me, and each took her time," Hermione said apologetically as she came out.

He just smiled at her. As he lifted his head he saw the aborigine approaching them. "Will you please follow me?" he said. His voice sounded authoritative but quite pleasant. It was the voice of a man who is normally obeyed and it compelled them to follow, yet Hermione was still prudent.

"Where do you want us to come?" she asked.

"To meet your parents, of course, although they don't know they have such a fine daughter. You've done a good job on them." He sounded appreciative.

"Why should I believe you?" she asked, risking to offend the man.

He smiled at her good heartedly. "Knowing what you were through for the last year, you're much calmer than I would have expected, Miss Granger, or should I call you Lady Potter?"

"Miss Granger would do for now. I would like to know with whom I'm speaking, though."

"Oh, sorry. I'm quite well known among my people. I keep forgetting that you are strangers to this land and to my people. My name is Arunta Ganan, which translates roughly to 'The parrot from the West'. Like a parrot, I sometimes talk too much and it's not always wisely."

"And how come you recognize us?"

"I'm the Shaman of my tribe, the resident wizard in a way. I keep track of what happens in the rest of the world and I've been aware of your deeds since you were much younger. I'm very impressed by you two."

This satisfied Hermione's prudence and her attention turned to the main topic now. "What do you know about my parents?"

"Not much, really. They seem to be nice people yet the compulsion you gave them is keeping them on the move. I had to check a bit deeper to find why they had that urge to keep moving, and I found you there. It's not difficult to understand your reasons for doing this."

"Do you think they'll ever forgive me?" she asked worriedly.

"I'm sure they will. We may find out soon after dinner, if you come along."

As they walked at his side he kept talking. "I usually scan the evening arrivals each day, trying to find the magical folks visiting here and invite them to join us. As the rock formations of Uluru and Kata Tjuta are sacred to us, many shamans stay around all year long and I also stay here as much as I can. We like to hear about other magical communities, although we didn't like most of what we've heard from Britain during the last three years. Anyhow, yesterday evening I noticed this non-magical couple which was radiating of strong charms cast on it. This piqued my curiosity and I invited them to join us. I promised to let them take part in a sacred ceremony to make them stay. I then found out it was you who cast the charms on them. The memory charm is starting to fade, making them more worried. Combined with the traveling compulsion, it makes them quite restless. I thought I would try to either strengthen the memory charm or remove it completely, depending on what I find in their suppressed memories. I intended to do it tonight, but now that you're here, I should defer to your intentions."

It was a bit much for Harry, yet Hermione had no problem understanding even what was not explicitly said. "So, you used legilimancy on them?"

"Not exactly. We have some older methods which allow us to find only relevant information without breaching the privacy of our subjects unnecessarily. I only found who cast the spell on them. I intended to try and find the cause and decide, based upon that information."

"Well, I was looking for them to restore their memories back and remove the compulsion charm. It's safe to do it now as the war is over."

"It's a very strong memory charm you put on them. Did you do it together?"

Hermione frowned. "No, I was alone. Why do you ask?"

"I'm not sure I could remove it alone. I intended to ask four of the strongest shamans to join me if I decided to remove it."

Hermione shrugged. "I only wanted to protect them. Not knowing anything about me and the war I was part of was supposed to keep them in peace. I wanted it to last indefinitely, so that they won't ever miss me if I didn't get through..."

"It is very powerful, but this kind of spell doesn't normally last more than a few months. I believe it is about six months now, which is about the upper limit for this charm."

"It's actually a year and two days since I cast it on them."

The shaman looked at her again. "You are really a very powerful witch. Do you know your Merlin Index?"

"What's that? It's the first time I even hear it mentioned."

"Nobody told you about it? No wonder the English are losing their stand in the wizarding world. This is a basic measure of magical power. It's usually measured at birth, except for muggle-borns; at eleven, when most magicals start their magic training; and at eighteen – when they finish it. I'm sure your school has checked you during first year, at least."

"We had a few medical checks during our first weeks at Hogwarts, but nobody said anything about magical powers."

Harry, who was silent until then, decided to intervene. "Maybe this was to protect the pureblood bigots from finding out how powerful the muggleborns and half-bloods really are."

"Or to keep us uninformed so they can continue pretending they are our better," Hermione added.

By this time they reached the aboriginal camp, which was surrounded by high fences for privacy.

"Welcome to the Shaman's Camp," Arunta greeted them, showing them in. He led them to one of the guest huts. "Your parents are lodged in the second hut forward," he noted, pointing at that hut, "but they are currently at the camp's bonfire. Please leave your luggage here and join us around the fire. It would also help you and me estimate what needs to be done about your parents."

Arunta let them settle in after instructing them how to reach the camp's bonfire. The hut they entered was quite simple, yet fully equipped for indefinite stay. It had a small living room which doubled as dining room, a moderately modern kitchenette and a standard bedroom with attached bathroom. While far from luxurious it was very nice and well arranged.

"What will your parents think of me?" Harry suddenly asked.

"Oh, I'm sure they'll love you."

"But... I'm sleeping with their daughter..."

"...who is old enough to decide on her own, both in muggle and in magical world."

"But your father... He will hate me. I know I already hate the guy who'll try to bed our daughter, and we don't have any yet."

She smiled. "Harry, my parents have been trusting my judgment since I was eleven. They will surely question us both, but they will give us their blessing eventually. Besides, I'm sure my father is not even close to being as frightening as Voldemort."

"I'm not sure," Harry mumbled quietly, out of Hermione's hearing range.

When they reached the bonfire, it looked like the feast was already in full blow. Several long tables were set around, each overloaded with various vegetables, meats and fruits along with varied beverages, none of which seemed familiar to the teens. The Wilkins were very evident, being the only light faces among the mostly dark ones. They seemed reluctant to approach the teens, but once they were almost forced to sit near each other, they started a conversation.

"Where are you from?" Mrs. Wilkins asked.

"We're from England. We live a short drive from London," Hermione answered, hardly reigning her excitement.

"Oh, we know some people there. We used to live in Derby, though, before we started traveling."

"How long have you been traveling?"

"About a year. I think yesterday was actually a year since we landed. It seems such a long time, yet it's nothing when you consider the vastness of this continent."

"Yes, it is rather large."

"I wonder if you happen to know any of our friends and relatives," Mrs. Wilkins said. "Do you happen to know Dorothy Granger? She has a daughter about your age, I believe."

These were her father's sister in law and her daughter, actually.

"Yes, I happened to meet them a few times," Hermione answered cautiously.

"Then you may have met their niece, Hermione, if I remember her name correctly. She seemed to be a very nice girl." Mrs. Wilkins' eyes turned dreamy for a moment. "If I had any children I would have liked my daughter to be like her. She looks a lot like you, only a bit younger, I think."

Hermione was hardly holding her tears, but Mrs. Wilkins wasn't aware of that. "I don't know what's happening to me. I sometimes feel like I'm living in a dream; like it's not the real me. Yet I can't remember much before our journey. It's quite confusing, really."

Her husband intervened. "This is why we came here, eventually. We talked with a shaman in Darwin and he suggested a visit to the red rocks. He said it would help us solve this mystery."

"Do you believe in them?" asked Hermione.

"I'm not really sure. It isn't logical, I know, yet some part in me keeps telling me that there's more to reality than I think. I **know **there's more, really. I can't remember clearly anything before this journey, yet I get glimpses of a house, a clinic, a weird visitor. It doesn't make sense, yet it seems truer than what we can remember. I even remember seeing you, Hermione, although I don't know why we should have ever met."

Arunta was standing nearby, paying close attention to his guests. As he saw an awkward silence coming, he intervened. "I see you've already met. Let me do the formal introductions: Mr. and Mrs. Wilkins are here to seek some help with their confusing glimpses into the past. Ms. Granger and Mr. Potter are here to look for some lost past. I believe you could help each other."

"So, you really are Hermione Granger?" Mrs. Wilkins asked. "I thought you looked familiar, only I remember you younger."

"It is more than a year since you saw me last, and it has been a very intensive year for me and my friend."

Mr. Wilkins looked at Harry. "Your name seems to ring a bell in my head. Aren't you Harry?"

Both parents seemed to be overwhelmed, as their memories were struggling to resurface. Hermione took their hands in hers, trying to comfort them. It didn't have the effect she expected. Once she touched them, there seemed to be a flow of magic through her hands, causing her parents to regain their memories and lose their compulsion to travel, yet she wasn't aware of it. She was only aware of the look of surprise appearing on their faces as they suddenly recognized their daughter and her friend, as they remembered why they had agreed to let Hermione act the way she did and understood the implication of her being there with them and with Harry.

They were all still for a while, nobody daring to speak, until her father noted, "So, you won the war, didn't you?"

"Yes, we did. It happened more than a month ago, but I couldn't come earlier."

There was another moment of silence. "And you finally got the boy of your heart," her mother noticed.

"Yes, I did." Hermione looked at Harry. That was all he needed to understand what she expected him to do. He still had to summon all his Gryffindor courage to speak.

"Mr. and Mrs. Granger, may I have your permission to marry Hermione as soon as we return to England? I promise to love her, respect her and care for her to the best of my ability."

The Grangers exchanged a glance. "You don't need our permission, son. Her heart has already been yours for many years and I believe she would gladly accept your offer," Mr. Granger told him.

The four hugged tightly. Hermione was crying freely now, releasing all the pent-up tension while sporting a large happy smile on her face. Mrs. Granger's face was also wet of tears as she looked her girl over. Mr. Granger was just looking pleased as he smiled at the other three. None of them noticed that the whole aboriginal populace of the camp gathered around them and watched the family reunion with awe.

It was some time later when Arunta re-joined them. "Now, that you know the truth again, let me put things in perspective. You, Miss Granger, are one hell of a witch! I was planning to combine the powers of four more shamans to achieve what you have just done without even using a wand or a spell, and if what I've heard about you two is true, then you, Mr. Potter, are quite a bit more powerful than her, which probably puts both of you at the top of the wizarding world as far as raw power in concerned."

"What are we suppose to do, then?" Harry asked, quite confused.

"Nothing, really. You may do whatever you please, yet I suggest you don't use your powers unless they are needed and do think before you do anything. I already know your hearts are in the right place; just be very careful with your powers."

"I don't think we're very powerful," Hermione commented. "I'm hardly adequate in some of the more powerful spells. If I hadn't studied so much I would have been well below average."

Arunta smiled kindly at her. "You're underestimating yourself, my dear lady. You'll soon find out by yourself, I believe. Anyhow, it's getting late and I've promised your parents a visit at the top of the rock, something very few outsiders are ever allowed to experience. I'll be glad if you two join us as well."

They didn't have to look at each other to know. "We'll be glad to join," they both said as one, making the others smile.

"Very well. We need to leave way before sunrise. My daughter Gulara, who's about your age, will wake you up at five-thirty. She will also join us on our way. I suggest you go to sleep now."

His suggestion was well accepted. The long drive and the excitement of the evening made both pairs exhausted. Getting some rest was quite welcome. They walked together to their lodgings. Hermione kissed her parents good-night. Harry shook hands with her father, but couldn't refuse being kissed on the cheek by her mother. None of the parents commented on the two sleeping together.

"Aren't they cute together?" her mother asked once the young couple closed the door.

"They remind me of us, about twenty years ago," was the answer.

Despite their fatigue, Hermione wouldn't go to sleep before making some love with Harry. She was happy at finding her parents and reestablishing her relations with them, and her happiness made their love making even more enjoyable.

* * *

**A.N.** This is the last chapter common to both stories, so it's the last in Harry's Love(s). Next chapter(s) will appear as two different stories: Hary's Love - a strictly Harry/Hermione version and Harry's Loves, whre he'll have more than Hermione to love.

As usual - _**Please review!**_


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